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The effects of a multi‐herbal mixture HT042 on height gain in short children: a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial (LB322)
Author(s) -
Song Jungbin,
Lee Donghun,
Kim Hyun Soo,
Lee Hyun Jeong,
Park Juyeon,
Kim Hocheol
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.lb322
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , percentile , anthropometry , randomized controlled trial , placebo controlled study , zoology , endocrinology , double blind , biology , statistics , alternative medicine , mathematics , pathology
HT042 is a multi‐herbal mixture consisting of Eleutherococcus senticosus, Astragalus membranaceus and Phlomis umbrosa which have been used to treat children with developmental delay in traditional Asian medicine. A double‐blinded, randomized, placebo‐controlled study was conducted to investigate efficacy of HT042 for short children. We studied 99 children aged from 7 to 12 years, all of whom had an initial height below the 25th percentile for age and sex. The children were randomly assigned to receive 750 mg of HT042 or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. Anthropometric data including weight, height, height percentile, height standard deviation scores (SDS), fat mass and fat free mass were collected at baseline and at week 4, 8, and 12. Serum levels of growth hormone (GH), insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐1 and insulin‐like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)‐3; nutrient intakes and the amount of time spent exercising were measured at baseline and at week 12. Mean change in height from baseline to week 12 for children who received HT042 and placebo were 2.2 ± 0.7 and 1.9 ± 0.7 cm, respectively (p=0.047). Children in HT042 group showed significant increase in height percentile and height SDS from baseline to week 12 (both p< 0.001). Treatment with HT042 significantly increased fat‐free mass and decreased fat mass from baseline to week 12 (p< 0.001 and p=0.023, respectively) while treatment with placebo did not significantly change both parameters. There was a significant difference in the level of IGFBP‐3, but not GH or IGF‐1, between placebo and HT042 group at week 12 (3386.7 ± 737.0 ng/ml vs. 3064.7 ± 723.6 ng/ml, p=0.039). No significant difference was observed between two groups in nutrient intakes or the amount of time spent exercising at the end of the study. HT042 treatment for short children can increase height and produce positive changes in body composition, suggesting that HT042 would be an effective dietary supplement for increasing height of children.